Monday, June 16, 2014

Providing Service

Like most people, we have
four major appliances in our kitchen.For
the past few years, two of the four have been an in-house brand name from a
particular national retailer.We just replaced
the third (a refrigerator) from the
same company.When we replace the
fourth, we will buy from someone else.The reason?Poor service.

Compared to all the problems of the world, this is not a
big deal, but this purchase has reminded me that good service must be intentional. It does not happen by accident. Many of us are involved in providing a
product to someone else. This may be
training, coaching, consulting, instruction, or something similar. My negative experience with this retailer has
reminded me that there are several aspects to being a good service provider.

First, provide a good
product. No matter how good your service
is, what you deliver must be something of quality that endures. Whether a refrigerator or a course on
coaching, what we deliver to the customer must be something worthwhile.

Second, make the buying
experience pleasant. People desire to be
treated with respect and have their time honored. When I make you jump through unnecessary hoops,
I am wasting your time. I have no right
to disrespect you in that way.

Third, don't promise more
than you can provide. If you say that
you are going to respond in a certain time period or deliver on a certain date,
do it. It is better to under promise and
over perform than vice versa.

Fourth, follow through on what you promise. When you say you will do something, plan to
do it or be ready to explain the extraordinary circumstances that made you fail
to deliver on your promise. The sad
thing is that we have become so accustomed to people not following through that
we are delighted when they do.

Perhaps you have had
similar experiences and I hope they encourage you to ask the question, “What
kind of service am I providing?”

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About Me

I consider myself an itinerant educator. My time is spent in encouraging and equipping ministers through my work with the Central Baptist Seminary and Pinnacle Leadership Associates. I also do volunteer work with my church in the area of leader development. Other time is devoted to reading, writing, traveling, and spending time with grandchildren and my wife, Rita.